ORLANDO, Fla. — Parents are finding it harder to get over-the-counter medicine for young children with reports of shortages amid a recent rise in RSV, the flu, and other viruses across the country.
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According to Poison Control, some parents are turning to a potentially dangerous alternative that they should avoid.
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“Because so many people are getting ill, this stuff is actually being bought up, which is causing a bit of a slow down on restocking the shelves,” Doctor Jay Schauben of the Florida Poison Control Centers explained.
Poison Control officials say parents have turned to alternatives, such as cutting down adult medication tablets into smaller doses for children. They warn it’s important to avoid doing so.
“Cutting tablets in half is not going to give you the required dosage that you need for the age and weight of the child,” Schauben said.
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It’s not just the dosage, Schauben says, but also the concentration and formulas that vary between children’s and adult’s medication.
Poison Control warns that cutting adult medication tablets and giving them to children can have dire consequences.
“Obviously, overdosing with some of these products, let’s say acetaminophen, in a Tylenol case, can be disastrous as far as liver function is concerned,” Schauben explained.
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For parents who are having problems finding medicines for their children, state Poison Control officials suggest talking to their primary care physician, their pharmacists, or calling the Poison Control Helpline at 1-800-222-1222 for alternatives.
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